Turkiye Edge USA in Thrilling World Cup Finale

Turkiye ended their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a dramatic 3-2 victory over the United States on Thursday, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Kaan Ayhan at Los Angeles Stadium.

Although the win marked Turkiye’s first success of the tournament, it was not enough to earn a place in the knockout stage. The United States had already secured top spot in Group D and booked a place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32, allowing the hosts to make nine changes to their starting line-up.

Despite the reshuffled team, the Americans made a bright start for the third consecutive group match. Auston Trusty opened the scoring in the third minute with a well-placed header, delighting the home supporters.

Turkiye responded strongly as Arda Guler and Baris Yilmaz each scored their first goals of the competition to turn the game around before the interval. The United States fought back shortly after the restart when Sebastian Berhalter fired home a powerful long-range effort to level the contest at 2-2.

The match appeared to be heading for a draw until substitute Kaan Ayhan arrived at the far post deep into stoppage time to convert into an empty net, sealing a memorable victory for Turkiye and ending their FIFA World Cup 2026 journey on a positive note.

Attention now shifts to the knockout stage for the United States. The Group D winners will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara on Wednesday as they continue their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign.

While Turkiye leave the tournament after the group stage, the late victory offers a measure of consolation and a confidence boost as they look ahead to future international competitions.